


Strangely enough, It all turns out well

by rufferto



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Chris and peter are roughly the same age, Fluff, Humor, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-25
Updated: 2016-10-25
Packaged: 2018-08-24 14:24:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8375590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rufferto/pseuds/rufferto
Summary: Someone finds the high school yearbook from year 19*mumble* and there’s a photo of Chris and Peter holding hands. Explanations are demanded ;) - Prompt from the sweet @screaming-towards-apotheosis @ tumblr





	

 

Stiles came bursting into the lunch room and skidded up to the table where Lydia, Allison and Scott sat. He plunked the book down on the table he’d been hugging tightly like it was worth its weight in curly fries. “You guys! Youguysyouguysyouguys!”

“Breathe Stiles!” Lydia reached out to steady him before he passed out. “Where’s the fire?”

“What is that?!” Scott looked down at the book with frown. It had almost caused him to lose half of his chocolate milk.

“It’s a yearbook.” Allison stated the obvious.

Indeed it was. The team had been looking for clues to the identity of the remains of a victim they’d found in the den of the latest monster of the week.

“I checked the files at the police station and this has happened before but everything was on microfiche. I mean, it was the 80s. Turns out there were several teenagers that went missing over the course of three years and turned up dead like how we found that Tristan kid. Anyway.” Stiles drew a breath after spilling all that out. “Turns out your Dad went to school here before.” He looked at Allison.

“Well, of course he did.” Allison gave a shrug. “What?” She looked at Scott who stared at her. “I didn’t think it was relevant.”

“But that’s not all!” Stiles flipped through pages of the year book. “He’s not the only one who went to school here at the same time.”

Stiles triumphantly pointed out the sophomore page of the yearbook which showed Peter Hale’s face distinctly as a member of the class. “Look….and Mr Argent is in the senior section.” He showed the class photo of Christopher Argent.

“So… we knew Peter went to school here.” Scott gave Stiles a funny look.

“Yeah we did! But what we didn’t know was this.”  Stiles flipped to a section of the book which called ‘candid shots of couples’. Two pages in, there splashed across the page was a smoking gun the size of the state of Texas.

The picture itself was intimately possessive. Chris had one arm around Peter’s shoulders and one of Peter’s hands was lifted up to link with Chris’ fingers. It could have been misconstrued as tom-foolery, two boys messing with the camera or high-school antics. The fact that a year book from the 1980s let it in at all meant that no one actually noticed it there until it was too late. The fingers and Chris’ eyes said another story. Peter just looked like his usual smug self…only younger. This wasn’t high school antics.  Chris looked as if he thought Peter was the sun. It was written all over his face.

The caption underneath the picture was: _Basketball Team Captain Christopher Argent and Straight A Student Body President Peter Hale._

Allison went red in the face, “Oh my god…”

Scott frowned. “What the fuck..”

“Is that?” Lydia finished.

“They were a couple!” Stiles burst out gleefully. “Mr Argent and Peter. They KNEW each other. Your father is a freaking hypocrite!”

“Don’t make me hurt you!” Allison snarled.

Lydia screwed up her nose. “The more disturbing fact is that Peter Hale was elected president of the student body. I mean, what were those kids thinking?”

“So who do we ask for an explanation? If this happened way back when they were kids maybe they know what is going on.” Stiles grinned. 

“Who’s more likely to tell the truth? Peter or Chris?”  Scott asked slowly. “And more to the point, it’s not any of our business.”

Everyone ignored Scott.

“Guess that depends on what happened.” Lydia mused. “My money is on Peter fucking up.”

“Could just as easily been Chris’ fault.” Stiles argued. “Have you noticed how they’re never in the same place at the same time?”

“I have noticed.” Allison nodded. “I thought it was just because Dad avoids hanging out with the pack on principal.”

“I did notice Peter leaves the room as soon as possible if Chris is mentioned as being on his way over come to think about it.” Lydia mused. “I thought it was just an Argent thing. How _interesting_.” She rubbed her chin gleefully. “I’m going to get to the bottom of this. Peter owes me, he’ll talk to me.”

“I’m not talking to Mr Argent. He’s way scarier than Peter when he’s mad.” Stiles shook his head fiercely. “No way. Peter at least loves attention.”

“Honestly, I think you’re right. Lydia, we’re not going to get anything out of my dad. If I ask him anything about his childhood he clams up and goes to polish his guns.”  Allison nodded, “and then he doesn’t come out of his office for days.”

“I think we should stay the hell out of it.” Scott mumbled.

“So we visit Peter? Does he still live at the loft?”

“Honestly don’t any of you pay attention?” Lydia rolled her eyes.  “He has his own place.”

“You have the address?”

“Yep, it’s a house in town.”

“You’re kidding, Peter lives in a house?” Stiles stared.

“It’s a nice house, actually.” Lydia shrugged. “He's fixing it up. I think he wanted to do something productive. I helped him paint one weekend. He didn’t ask. I just went over to ask him something about the bestiary and picked up a paintbrush.”

Stiles stared at her this time. “I didn’t know you had made up with him.”

“He bought me fifty pairs of shoes.” Lydia chuckled. “Now, come on. I’ll take you to his place. It’s not far from the school. I think he wanted to be close by just in case you all needed him quickly.”

“This is Peter you’re talking about? Peter Hale? The guy who killed a dozen people?”

Lydia gave him a look. “He was insane, Scott. Literally burned through crackerjack crazy. You don’t fully understand what he went through and what he’s going through now.”

“He tried to kill me.” Scott protested.

“He was _insane_.” Lydia stressed the word as she got into Scott's face. “And hell bent on revenge. Revenge fucks you up and makes you do crazy shit. He lost his whole family. He saw them die before his eyes. Children. Then Derek and Laura abandoned him. So excuse me if I don’t buy into your hate.  Maybe if you gave him half a chance he might help you more.” She turned on her cellphone and dialed him. “Peter? It’s Lydia.  You home?” She waited while he confirmed. “I’m bringing people to see you.”

“It frightens me you’re on such good terms with him.” Stiles shuddered.

“What for? They want to talk to you….”  Lydia paused. “Stiles, Scott, Allison.” She laughed at the response. “Yes, I know you’re not a babysitter. I’m not leaving them _with_ you.”

Scott grimaced.

“Peter says you can come over but he’s in the middle of laying down the foundation for a deck so you’ll have to talk while he’s working.”

“Oh…This I have to see.” Stiles perked up.

“He also says ‘Fuck You, Stiles’.” Lydia chuckled.

“I’m not going. You guys knock yourselves out.” Scott turned and stalked off. He really wasn’t any fun sometimes.

Stiles, Lydia and Allison piled into the jeep and Lydia gave Stiles directions. She was right, it was close to the school but not nearly what he was expecting. Stiles opened his mouth and closed it again. “He’s got a mailbox.” It said Hale in dainty little letters.  “You weren’t kidding.”

“I can hear you Stiles!” A voice hollered from the backyard. Peter came down the pathway leading to the back yard.

The girls stared.

He was shirtless, all glistening skin and glorious tan. He wore just a pair of old jeans and workboots but somehow…they looked good on him. Stiles gave a low swallow. Anything would look good on him, honestly.  Chez Hale was still in construction process but it was getting there. “There’s a reason I come by.” Lydia wiggled her brows at Stiles.

“Oh my god!” Stiles was caught between amused and horrified.  He was so very glad Scott didn’t come because both girls were wide eyed over.... Peter Hale. So, so very glad.

“Here, wear these.” Peter gave the trio hard hats. “I’m not being held responsible for kids getting head injuries in a construction zone.” He distributed them and turned on his heel to head back. They followed. The girls were quite happy to follow…and watch.

The backyard had been stripped. He was entirely redoing the deck and putting in a swimming pool.

On his own.

Peter went back to work on the section of the old deck he was pulling out… with his hands. “What do you want?” He was clearly used to people only seeking him out if they wanted something.

Allison’s mouth finally closed. “Stiles…” she choked, unable to say a word. Clearly flustered when faced with shirtless Peter.

Stiles was the one with the book in his backpack after all. He pulled out the yearbook and brandished it like a shield so Peter could clearly see the year.

Peter stilled. His eyes narrowed to slits and his claws sprang out. He shuddered slightly as he strove to contain his temper. He gave Lydia an anguished heartfelt look as if she had just betrayed him, straightened and flung a piece of wood in his hand aside. It narrowly missed Stiles. He ran his hands through his hair getting dirt and grime on his face and looked away briefly. Then he abruptly snapped his gaze back. It was hard and cold like granite as he growled menacingly at the three of them.  “Get the fuck off my property.” With that he slammed into his house.

“Well that was interesting.” Lydia stared after Peter.  She marched towards the house.

“Wait!” Stiles tried too late to stop her. “He’s gonna kill us!”

“He is so _not_.” Lydia snorted. She banged on the back door. “Peter? We’re coming in.” She opened the door. “Watch your step. He’s doing a lot of renovation. The only part finished are the bedrooms upstairs.” She smiled when she saw a pair of French doors. “Oh, you got them after all. Nice. Peter? We’re not here to hurt you. Allison has questions and her father sure as hell won’t answer.”

“What makes you think I will?” Peter had put a black t-shirt on and carried a bottle of scotch and a jar of wolfs bane over to the kitchen counter covered with sawdust.

“Because I’m asking you to.”  Lydia picked up the bottle of scotch and opened it for him. She took a sip then filled Peter’s glass. “Not bad,” she approved and filled a glass for herself half way.

Allison took the yearbook out of Stiles hands, opened it up and put it on the counter. “Explain this. Dad threw such a fit when he found out Scott was a werewolf.”

Peter raised a brow.

“Please explain this.” Allison added. “Dad won’t talk about his childhood. It’s no use asking him.”

“I’m not surprised,” Peter shrugged. “He had a rough time. He used to be sensitive, your dad.”

“MY Dad?” Allison stared.

“Oh this is going to be good.” Stiles reached for the scotch but Peter wouldn’t let him have any. “Hey, Lydia got some.”

“Lydia is a grown up.” Peter smirked.

Stiles made an affronted face. “We’re the same age!”

“There’s soda in the fridge, kid.” Peter waved Stiles off.

“What do you mean? Sensitive?”

“I… He didn’t like hurting anything.” Peter shrugged. “At the time I was pretty sure he wouldn’t make it as a hunter. Yeah, we dated….fucked and were a thing or whatever you kids are calling it these days. Every time Gerard took him out I watched the boy I loved die a little more until one day he came back and he wasn’t Chris anymore. Gerard and beaten the sensitivity out of him.  To please his father he got very…very good. He knew what I was. I knew what he was. We didn’t have any illusions.” Peter rubbed the back of his neck. “I knew one day he’d be forced to end things but he couldn’t do it, he’s too moral. He didn’t want to hurt me and he would never go against his duty for someone like me. He knew I loved him.”

Peter looked away. “As for me, I don’t have it in me to pine. I wanted to still have the memory of who he was and I knew there was never any chance for us anyway. So I had to do it because he never would.”

“You broke up with him, didn’t you?” Lydia asked gently.

“Yeah,” Peter nodded. He was his usual impossible to read self.  “I told him that I couldn’t be with someone who killed my kind. I broke up with him rather…publicly. His dad found out about us and eventually the Argents left town. I didn’t see him again until the Argents moved back briefly. The fire happened.”

“I think you’re not telling us everything.” Lydia got a bit further into the scotch. “Is this from your five year collection? It feels like five year.”

Allison’s fists clenched.

Peter nodded, “you learn well.” He gave Lydia a look of pride which made Stiles shudder.

“What did you do?” Allison demanded. “How did you break up with him? I know my Dad. If he loved you even a little he would have fought for you.”

“I knew that too.” Peter lifted his chin. “So I didn’t give him a choice. I told him Talia had arranged a marriage for me and I accepted. I told him in no uncertain terms that I chose my kind and there was nothing he could do.”

“It was a lie, wasn’t it?” Lydia asked.

“Yes,” Peter nodded. “When he came back before the fire and found out I wasn’t married we had words. It wasn’t pretty. Unfortunately we also had sex….while Kate was burning my family. I accused him of distracting me on purpose and tried to save them even though he’d just told me he was still in love with me. I was distraught. You know the rest.” Peter shrugged.  “And that children is why I avoid Allison’s father and he avoids me. If you were expecting Romeo and Juliet and a tale of heartache and woe, sorry to disappoint.” Peter lifted his glass with his trademark smirk. “We were a teenage fling, that’s all we ever were.”

“You’re lying.” Lydia squinted at him. “I know you by now, Peter. I know you’re lying.”

“So Dad cheated on my mom, that’s what you’re saying?” Allison scowled. “With YOU?”

“Yes,” Peter chuckled at her outrage. “I’m sure your mother was well aware, Allison. In High school Christopher did not make any secret of his desire for men.”

“Alright, that’s enough.” Chris stepped out of a nearby room. “Jesus Christ, Peter.” He yawned. “You are such a drama queen.”

“Dad?!” Allison stared. “You’ve been here the whole time?”

“I’ve been helping Peter with the House.” Chris shrugged. “Allison, I’ve been trying to find the right time to tell you. Peter and I? It’s complicated.”

Stiles nearly leaped out of his skin when Chris suddenly appeared.

Peter laughed and laughed, “That’s the understatement of the year, Argent.”

“Is anything of what he said true?”

“No.” Chris glared at the wolf. “He just likes being the center of attention. Truth is we were never together in high school. That’s just a picture taken of us during one of our more… well let’s just say there was a lot of sexual tension. They wanted us to hold hands for the picture, so we did.  We had a big fight and our friendship ended. It was epic and in front of the whole school. I met him again before the fire and we went for coffee. I just wanted to set the record straight and talk to him again. Being older and at least I was wiser anyway, we realized we were attracted to each other and that’s what caused the majority of our problems before. But the fire happened before we could really talk. Peter went crazy and I almost had to kill my best friend. I watched him burn and then come back to life. Victoria died. We talked again and we’ve been dating for a few months. That’s it, that’s the story.”

Lydia GLARED at Peter.

Peter gave the kids a feral grin, clearly having had way too much fun pulling their legs. “Well, you three looked like you thought you had a smoking gun so far be it from me to disappoint…”

“You should have told me you were dating again!” Lydia glared at Peter.  She whipped on her heel and flounced to the door. “Stiles!” She snapped her fingers. “We’re leaving.”

Allison glared at her father, “We’re going to have words later!” She turned and left with Lydia and Stiles.

“Think we should tell them the truth?” Peter waited until Stiles’ jeep was far away before he leaned into Chris and let the man’s arms circle around him.

“Which truth?” Chris ran a hand through Peter’s hair and kissed his head.

“Well, we are married. We’re going to have to tell them one day.”

“Not yet,” Chris shook his head. “I want you to myself for a little while longer.”

Peter gave him a happy grin. "Love you."

"Yeah, yeah." Chris kissed him.

**FIN**


End file.
